Fallout: Tatsumi Port Island
by Hitobashira Alice
Summary: After a nuclear war that left most of the world in ruins, Elizabeth is on a quest to find Makoto Yuki. At one bar, she came across one of Makoto's old friends from S.E.E.S. and learned what happened to the group after the Fall. And, perhaps, there is a clue to help her finding him... Sort of pilot. If people like it, might make a series out of it.


"I'm looking for a man."

Her words stopped the stirring bar. The patrons at the time, all five of them, seized her up as savvy survivors wont to do. Beneath the tattered, gray coat – unofficial uniform of the wastelanders – was a blue, short dress. The vibrancy of the fabric was an expensive rarity. Were she to come across a more unsavory kind of bar, everyone would've ganged up on her to take her dress and everything else they could reap from her.

But The Three Werehogs was a bar of good repute; any potential brawls would be culled by its staff, headed by the enormous barkeep. He addressed the newcomer with a pleasant yet firm voice, honed by years of commerce.

"Why don't you sit down, Miss? I'm sure I can help you over a drink or two."

Elizabeth considered this for only a moment and took a seat directly in front of the barkeeper. "Whiskey, please."

A shot glass filled with amber-colored liquid quickly came. Elizabeth took a small sip, feeling the biting heat in her mouth immediately. She looked up at the barkeep with expectant eyes.

"Right, so you're looking for a man. I've seen many passes through, but thankfully I've got good memory. What's he like?"

"Blue hair, Asian. He's slim and not particularly tall. He should be about 22 or so by now." Elizabeth was only vaguely aware of the way human ages work, but that sounded right to her.

The barkeep raised his eyebrows and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Blue hair? Now that's unusual. People don't color their hair much nowadays, no good in making yourself visible to raiders and all."

"So have you seen him?"

"Doesn't ring any bell, I'm afraid. But maybe he got different hair by now, eh? Do you know his name?"

"Yes. Makoto. Makoto Yuki."

To this, a man who had been silently downing glasses of beer coughed. Though he took the endmost stool on the bar, he had his ears alert.

Both Elizabeth and the barkeep turned their heads and their eyes met the man's, who was still reeling from having the beer going down the wrong way.

"So how do you know him?" asked the man who introduced himself as Junpei Iori. Elizabeth had moved to the stool beside him.

"I…we were very close. We went on dates."

"Huh," Junpei looked at his refilled glass forlornly, "yeah, he was popular with the girls. I should've asked him his secret back then, heh. Not that it would help me much these days. Everyone's for themselves."

Elizabeth didn't react to this, so he continued.

"I was his classmate. We were friends, you see. We were in the same club-"

"S.E.E.S." Elizabeth's interjection surprised Junpei.

"He…told me about it," Elizabeth explained, "he was really fond of the club."

This was a lie. As an attendant of the Velvet Room, Elizabeth followed the Makoto's ascent through Tartarus alongside S.E.E.S. By the end, she knew very well about everyone; how they work together, how they fought Shadows, and even glimpses of their personalities. To Elizabeth, it was all very fascinating and had helped her in her attempts of human interaction.

"Yeah, we made a lot of good memories. It wasn't always easy, but…it was fun, most of the time."

"Do you know where he is now?"

"Right, sorry. You're looking for him."

Junpei took several gulps out of the glass. When he talked again, his voice was flatter and his tone faster. Perhaps he was trying to get the information out but not the feeling that went with it.

"After the bomb hits, everyone was confused. Well, you probably know as well as anyone. It was hell. Everyone – everyone in S.E.E.S. – we weren't sure on what to do. Everyone wanted to see their parents, of course, to check up on them. Mitsuru-senpai gathered what was left of the Kirijo Group. The group's capital and assets helped them retain a semblance of order. …it didn't last."

"But the group managed to survive long enough for the S.E.E.S. members to visit their homes and back to the dorm, our base of operation. Mitsuru-senpai was very adamant on not bringing back anyone but our immediate family. Resources were spare. She must be secretly relieved that most of us came back alone. Like I did."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Elizabeth softly, a whisper.

"It's alright, it's been years now. Anyway, Mitsuru-senpai reformed Kirijo Group to adapt to the new world. She stocked on food and weapon first. By stocking, it means she sent people to loot and salvage. It was the right choice. The New Kirijo Group quickly amassed fortune and influence. Trade routes and outposts were established."

Elizabeth nodded. She had come across a caravan party on her way to this town. They were noticeably very well-off, the inventory rich in variety and opulent in number. The guards and vendors wore thick armors and wield guns that looked almost brand new as well.

"But not everyone was content with helping settling a commercial company. Senpai could always handle nearly everything alone, anyway. Though she insisted that she could always use our help, most of us was only tasked to keep guard and clean the shelter. Not that we were ungrateful – we knew how many people had died, and were dying, outside – but sometimes…we feel like a liability."

"Anyway, Fuuka flourished. I hadn't known it back then, but she likes to tinker with stuff – electronics, radios, you know. She headed the telecom division of the New Kirijo Group. Her work is vital in running the company. Information is priceless nowadays. With the makeshift radio towers she put up, the Group can know which route leads to settlements, which route is swamped with raiders, and so on, before anyone else can. Last I heard, she's hard at work, trying to repair the radio tower over at Odaiba. It'll give them the best coverage this side of the wasteland."

"Koromaru also stayed behind with the Group. I sometimes visit him and even traveled with him a couple times. I can sleep easy when he's around. Perky little fella. He always knows when raiders or one of those abominations come close. He's getting older now, so he's mostly just living the good life back at HQ."

"What about you? What do you do?" asked Elizabeth. In her heart, she wanted to cut to the chase. But she had learned enough to know that it would be improper. And despite her mission, she found herself caring about the other S.E.E.S. members. Makoto's friends.

"Right, I haven't told you. Well, I'm still a member of the Neo Kirijo Group. My job is to just roam and check out the situation, mostly. Reporting if there's anything weird. I'm free to do what I want, what I feel necessary."

Junpei gulped down the rest of his beer and gestured at the barkeeper for another glass.

"She's just humoring me, really. I'm replaceable. But heh, I shouldn't complain. I am surviving, and that's about the most you can ask for these days."

Elizabeth followed, finishing her glass of whiskey. Another pour came nearly instantaneously, replenishing her glass.

"Akihiko-senpai left. He apparently talked to Mitsuru-senpai, but not to the rest of us. He wanted to figure out who caused this whole disaster and beat him up, or something to that effect. It's crazy, but I know he still insisted on using his fists. Like, only his fists. I heard rumors about someone like him for the first year since he left, but nothing since. He's…probably dead by now."

"Yukari and Ken…well, they…" Junpei closed his eyes and downed another big gulp, "they tried to be guards as well. Early after the establishment of the group, there was a big raid. It was bloody and I nearly got killed. Yukari was blinded and Ken…he lost his arm."

"Life is hard, but it's unbearable for people with big injuries. Even able-bodied people can find it hard to do things as usual, with the radiation wreaking havoc with our bodies. Well…you see, after people are fed and safe, the other human instinct sprung back to life. It would be insane of her – Mitsuru-senpai – not to venture into that market as well. They worked as pleasure workers. Ken seemed to take to it well. But Yukari…she hated it. I…"

Junpei's voice finally broke its careful composure.

"I can't really bear to see her that way. Before long, she…she took her own life. I don't know if there's any life beyond this one, but she can't be worse off than where she was."

Elizabeth gently put her hand on Junpei's shoulder. It took him a minute for the shivers to stop. When he continued, his voice had assumed its previous business-like tone.

"Anyway, as for Aigis, she left as soon as Neo Kirijo Group became stable enough, or about 8 months after the bomb. She requested even more firepower and got it. She looked about twice as heavy as she started. It's because she also wanted to look for him. Makoto."

This was particularly surprising new information to Elizabeth. She unknowingly shared her mission with another person – a robot, if she wanted to be particular. And that meant that even his friends didn't know where he was. This revelation dampened her mood – which didn't go unnoticed by Junpei.

"Yeah, we don't know where he is either. Of course we're all always keeping lookout in case there's any information about him, like we do with Akihiko-senpai. But there's just so much to think about, to be wary about, in this new world, that they can't be our number one priority."

Elizabeth looked down at her lap.

"I understand," said Elizabeth, her voice rife with disappointment.

Junpei mused for a moment and took out a card and a pen from inside his coat. He scribbled something on the back of the card. It took him several tries, crossing off some letters, as the beer had succeeded in intoxicating him.

After he was finished, he handed the card over to Elizabeth, whose disappointment was momentarily replaced with curiosity. It was a Neo Kirijo Group business card, with a message on the underside notifying that Elizabeth is an ally and should be provided with any help necessary. It was signed by Junpei, 'General Recon Field Agent and close friend of President Mitsuru'.

"I don't know how useful it can be, but it's better than nothing. Sorry."

"No, this is fine. Thank you very much," said Elizabeth, mustering up a smile. Junpei grinned in return.

"If you hear anything about him – or Akihiko-senpai or Aigis – please notify us. Just ask to contact Fuuka using one of our radio towers, okay? Just say it's a very important message regarding S.E.E.S. and show the operator that card."

"Okay. I will."

They continued to drink for a while, letting the alcohol numb their minds as a brief reprieve from the merciless land waiting for them right outside the bar.

"You know…" started Junpei, "it's baseless and even foolish. But somehow…I feel like Makoto is doing fine out there. He just seems like someone who can survive anything. I bet we're silly to worry about him, that he's helping people selflessly like he did back then. And in return, people trust in him. It's the most expensive thing to obtain now, trust. Yet I can't help but trusting him, even though I haven't seen him for…five? no, six years now. It's stupid, isn't it?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. I trust in him as well."


End file.
